Thinking Inking

A Gracious Hostess

 Isn't this little Lockhart Vintage Apron the sweetest thing? When I saw the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird papers, I knew that I had to paper-piece Karen Lockhart's apron with these funky, retro papers. I enhanced the image a bit with some W-1 and W-2 Copic markers, adding some subtle shadows along the sides of the apron and under the pocket. The sentiment tag is from PaperTrey Ink's Mixed Messages set, and ribbon and red cardstock are PaperTrey's Pure Poppy.

Early Bird papers used were Cherry Pie, Sunrise, Ribbon Sandwich, and Apron Strings.  The tag is a Spellbinders Tags Trio die, and the large scallops were cut with a Cricut Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge. A bit of stitching and sanding finished it off.

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Do you know all there is to know about ink, or do you have some questions?  Ellen Hutson asked several of us to take a different type or application of ink and write a basic tutorial for the In Touch blog. Ellen has a fabulous ink comparisons article explaining what ink to use in what situation--something worth bookmarking for future reference, for sure.  I have a short article on watercoloring with ink here. Cindy Lyles has a great article on distress and archival inks, and Sharon Harnist explains what inks to use with Copic markers--very helpful!

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

May PaperTrey Ink Release

Finally!  It's time to share some of the PaperTrey Ink pieces that I've been working on over the past couple of weeks. These were such fun summer sets!

First up is Melissa Bickford's Bird Watching set--I love the birdhouses here, and I really need more time to play with the birds. Bird Watching and Additions are full of hours of play time.

Other sets I used here were Polka Dot Basics, Background Basics: Text, Background Basics: Spots and Dots, and Fancy Flourishes (on the red layer). All of the details are listed in my PaperTrey Gallery, which HughesNet won't let me pull up to link to again. . . but you can probably access it! ;-)

I colored the birdhouses with the Copic markers listed below, all available here at PaperTrey Ink.

 

 Next up is Candice Aguilar's Day at the Beach set--so fun! I can't even look at this set without the words, "It was an itsy-bitsy, teeny weenie, yellow polka dot bikini" starting to play in my head--must be because of that yogurt commercial. . .

Other sets used were Polka Dot Basics, Background Basics: Spots and Dots, and Fancy Flourishes. Ink and paper details are listed in my PaperTrey Ink Gallery.

For a change of color-pace, how about a card using Lisa Johnson's Let Freedom Ring set? The red photographed a bit orange, but it's really a deep red, PaperTrey's Pure Poppy, along with a Bazzill Navy. I've been amazed at all of the different looks that Lisa achieved with her set this week--wow!

Fancy Flourishes is a basic set designed by Nichole that works well with so many other PaperTrey images--versatile and lovely! Here I've combined it with Friends 'Til the End, one of my favorite PaperTrey sets to color. Here's a close-up, and below that are the Copic markers with which I colored the flower image.

I have a couple more pieces that I'm almost finished with; I'll post them over the next few days. If you see something that tickles your fancy, it's available at PaperTrey Ink.

Looking for more ideas on any of these sets? Here you go--enjoy!

• Becky Oehlers
• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Geny Cassady
• Heather Nichols
• Lauren Meader
• Lisa Johnson
• Nichole Heady
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Niki Estes

Butterfly Thinking of You: CPS 115

You know, I'm pretty sure that Tami's a genius-she's our CPS sketch artist. I looked at this particular sketch and wondered what I was going to do with it. Then I started noodling all of the circular stamps I had. One thing led to another, and I really think I like it, now that it's finished.

That's what I mean about Tami's gift--seeing possibilities that others might not naturally see. In my {boring, careful, analytical} little design world, Rules Reign. Oh, I may opt for informal balance rather than formal balance, but it's still there. I'll mix odd colors, but only if I see them on a patterned paper or a lovely picture and like them first. I'm not that daring--I just follow the rules. . .

Then Tami tosses out a sketch that bisects the page (there goes my beloved rule of thirds), and has all of the design elements clustered in the lower right corner (there goes balance).  And you know what? It works! That is precisely why I love the challenge of sketches. They open up new possibilities--new ways of seeing things through the eyes of others. Tami's the MAN--figuratively speaking, of course! ;-D

All details are listed below. Thanks for dropping by!

The Nitty Gritty:
Stamps: Tags for Spring, Around and About Sentiments (PaperTrey ink)
Cardstock: Sweet Blush (PaperTrey Ink), Neenah Natural White (Ellen Hutson, LLC)
Papers: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday (Girl Friday Collection by Cosmo Cricket)
Inks: Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Terra Cotta (Adirondack), Kiwi Kiss (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: white silk ribbon, rhinestones (Ellen Hutson, LLC), buttons (PaperTrey Ink, Buttons Galore)
Tools: Plain Circle Nestability, Nested Flower, Fancy Scalloped Pierceability Die (Spellbinders Paper Arts);  Clear and Mint Spica Glitter Pens (Copic); 3/4" and 1-1/4" circle punches

Hello, Birdie

Today I have a simple, monochromatic stamped card to share with you.  Two stamps are Hero Arts, K5053 Bird on a Branch, and S5050 Wavy Leaf Pattern; and the sentiment on a tag is from PaperTrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages, cut and embossed with a Spellbinders Double-Ended Tag die, cut in half and trimmed.  Cardstock is Stamper's Select White and Spring Moss, and ink is Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado (on the tag), and Fresh Snow, all PTI.

There is actually more contrast here than the pictures show, but no amount of tweaking was making it look quite the same on screen tonight as it does in real life. I stamped the birds image in white ink and then sewed around the edges to frame it. (I also tried white embossing powder, but it seemed to heavy and stark.) This would be a simple to card to create a notecard set with, using different colors of ink and cardstock on each one.  Button is PaperTrey Vintage New Leaf.

Cindy at Emma's Paperie has a great giveaway on the Emma's blog--some luscious papers, embellishments, chipboard, and rub-ons. You might want to go sign up for a chance to win it! Have a lovely day.

Thinking of You Meets Early Bird

Yes--Early Bird is in the house! I had planned to get to bed at a decent hour tonight, but then UPS brought me a happy box. (Trust me--this box was happy.) Without further babbling, I'll share one of tonight's cards.

I started with a more detailed coffee cup image, but I switched to this one from PaperTrey Ink's 2009 anniversary set, Everyday Classics**, because of its strong graphic lines being better suited for the paper. After stamping the coffee cup in Pure Poppy ink (PTI) and the sentiment in Ocean Tides ink, I die cut and embossed the image with a Spellbinders Label die and airbrushed it with a Copic airbrush system and a Copic Y32 marker. The buttons are New Leaf and Lemon Zest Vintage Buttons from PaperTrey Ink. The zig-zag border peeping from underneath the focal image is also cut with a Spellbinders border die.

Papers are Sunrise and Apron Strings--mmmmm--paper bliss! Thank you for visiting!

**The Everyday Classics set is this year's Anniversary set--an exclusively earned one. Here are the details on that program, in case you're interested in future anniversary sets.

Star Prints

Today I am excited to be able to share one of the projects that I was working on last week, a card and gift set using PaperTrey Ink's new Star Prints set, to be released on May 15.

I created a Father's Day gift set with a card and gift box.  The gift box is adapted from one of Lauren's My Timeless Templates, All Boxed Up. I adapted it to a one-box-holder with a thicker box because I wanted to put a box of Junior Mints in it for Rick. On the opposite side I added two small envelopes--good for money or gift cards.

 

The stars were first stamped them in Ocean Tides ink and then overstamped  in Versamark and embossed with a heat-activated sticky powder so that I could add glitter to make them "shining stars." (Click on any picture to see a larger view.)

In addition to the Cosmo Cricked Wanted and Halfway Cafe papers, for the card,  I used a couple of PaperTrey background stamps sets--Background Basics: Stars, and one more new set that I'm not sure I'm supposed to draw attention to yet. . .  So, did you find it? ;-D

Be sure to check out what the rest of the PaperTrey Designers did with the Star Prints set:

• Becky Oehlers
• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Geny Cassady
• Heather Nichols
• Lauren Meader
• Lisa Johnson
• Nichole Heady
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Niki Estes

The Nitty-Gritty Details
Stamps: Star Prints, Background Basics: Stars, Background Basics: Text Style
Cardstock: Kraft, Dark Chocolate
Paper: Doc Holliday, Kissin' Kate, Slue Foot Sue (Cosmo Cricket Wanted Collection), Kingman (Cosmo Cricket Halfway Cafe Collection)
Ink: Ocean Tides, Dark Chocolate (PaperTrey Ink), Champagne Versamark, Old Photo Distress Ink
Templates: All Boxed Up by Lauren Meader, [edited to make one larger pocket because I put a package of Junior Mints in one side, and they were thicker than would fit in the original design], Crafter's Companion Envelope Template
Accessories: Dark Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon, Stampendous Crystal Snow Glitter, Making Memories Antique Copper Mini Brads
Tools: Fiskars Star Punch, Sewing Machine, sanding block

Thank You Gift Set

Remember the boxes of loveliness that I mentioned waiting for the other day? Here are some Bo Bunny paper goodies from one of them! This month I am blessed to be a guest designer for  Emma's Paperie.  I made this card and boxed lotion set for a color challenge on the Emma's Paperie blog. I love getting boxes from Emma's--it's like Christmas with all of the tied tissue wrappings and usually a little bag of color-coordinated treats too. In fact, Benjamin always manages to be at my elbow when I open one of these boxes. . .  Hmmmm--I wonder why?

So, are you feeling up to playing with some bold summer colors with a cool twist? Come play with the Emma's Paperie color challenge this month!  Products are linked from the post on the Emma's Paperie Blog. Thanks for visiting.

With Appreciation

How about a stampy card tonight?  I know that this card isn't Spring-y or even Summer-y, but I should have plenty of those to show you next week!  I used two different PaperTrey Ink Backgrounds, Polka Dot Basics and Background Basics: Retro.  The little tag is from PaperTrey's Mixed Messages set, and teapot is from Tea for Two.

I colored the teapot with Copic markers in the following colors: R30, R24, R29, R59, T1, T4, and o. After getting it colored, I decided that it still needed something. So I overstamped it in PaperTrey's Vintage Cream ink. Rather than masking the teapot to stamp the dots, I stamped them and then cut out the teapot and raised it with foam tape to add dimension. The teapot base shape is cut with a Spellbinders Plain Circle Nestability and matted with a Pinking Circle Nestability. That zig-zag is also cut with a Spellbinders border die.  Ribbon and cardstock are all PaperTrey. 

Well--time to get back to work!  Have a great weekend!

Replenishing the Guy Birthday Card Stash: Just Rite Blog Hop

My guy birthday card stash was running low again. When Kellie asked if several of us were game for a second JustRite Blog Hop, I thought that it would be a great chance to stock up on some suitable masculine birthday cards. I chose the Birthday Wishes Borders and Centers Set to pair with some Cosmo Cricket Li' Man papers. 

After stamping the image for each card once each in Pure Poppy and Ocean Tides ink (PaperTrey Ink), I used a Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestability to die cut and emboss the images. I knew that I wanted a two-toned sentiment, and I generally find it simpler to layer than to try to selectively ink the images. After sponging the edges with Antique Linen Distress ink, I attached the layers with foam tape for added dimension.  I stitched the contrasting layer on rather than matting it and chose twill (PaperTrey Pure Poppy and Ocean Tides) to embellish. Since the buttons are all small like shirt buttons, I thought I could get by with those and still keep them sufficiently masculine. I'm not by nature a mass-producer, but this set of four was painless--got to keep the stash healthy!

Be sure to check out the Just Rite Blog posts below, if you get a chance. Thank you for visiting!

• JustRite Stampers
• Barb Schram
• Becca Feeken
• Heidi Blankenship
• Lauren Meader
• Lisa Somerville
• Kellie Fortin
• Michele Kovack
• Michelle Wooderson
• Sharon Harnist
• Sharon Johnson
• Taylor Van Bruggen
  

Thinking of You

Tonight I'm trying to clean up some patterned paper scraps before new boxes come tomorrow--paper bliss! I had several pieces of the warm gray and russet-toned Cosmo Cricket Everafter sitting in a stack; and the solid, graphic flowers reminded me of the Hero Arts S5033 Design Block Silhouette background stamp that I had used for my CPS110 post a couple of weeks ago.

The only problem was that I wanted to stick to the two colors, and who has ever heard of warm gray flower stems and leaves? I decided to try the two-toned flowers--after all, it worked on the patterned paper! I inked the stamp in Adirondack Pebble ink, and then used a damp Q-tip to remove the ink from the blooms so that I could color them with a Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie marker. I then die-cut the image with a Spellbinders Plain Square Nestability. The tag is from the CL130 Frames and Messages  set, inked in Pebble and die-cut and embossed with a Tags Trio die.

I sanded all of my paper edges and sponged them with a bit of antique Linen Distress ink before matting everything in PaperTrey Ink's Smokey Shadow cardstock. I resisted the urge to sew since I had so many layers of cardstock that my little Sew Mini would have labored over it. (By the way, when the sewing machine won't go through it, piercing holes with a hand-tool is not a wonderful idea either--trust me on this one!) That bit of twill is also Cosmo Cricket, part of the Everafter ribbon pack. I wanted a bit of sparkle in the flower center and added some Diamond Stickles. They look yellow, but that must have been a reaction with the ink from the marker. Overall, this russet (a nice word for muted orange) has grown on me in a way that I wouldn't have guessed before I saw this paper. Hmmm. . . maybe I like orange. . . but don't tell!

Thanks for visiting!

A Birthday Fish: CPS 114

Today's post is my first foray into digital images: this week's CPS 114 sponsor is Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, and Korin asked that we use her digital images. I chose Cleo Clownfish because I knew I had some lovely CosmoCricket Snorkel papers that he would be perfect with. I printed him at 70% of his original size, then die-cut and embossed him with a Spellbinders Circle Nestability. 

Next I masked Cleo off with Eclipse Tape and airbrushed the background with a Copic BG45 and airbrush system, leaving my die in place to serve as an outer rim mask.  I then colored Cleo with the Copic markers shown on the left, and sponged the cardstock edges with antique Linen Distress ink.  The focal image mat is cut with a Pinking Circle Nestability from SU's Tangerine Tango cardstock. Other matting is Prism Intense teal cardstock, and card base is PaperTrey Ink Stamper's Select White.

The lifebuoy strip across the bottom is from the Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Borders paper. Buttons are from ButtonsGalore.com, and ribbon is both PaperTrey Ink (Summer Sunrise Grosgrain), and Cosmo Cricket (Snorkel ribbon for the orange twill).

That's one more kid-let birthday card for my stash. Thank you for visiting!

Spring Fling Sketch Challenge

I played with new PaperTrey Ink stamps most of the day Saturday--fun summer stamps! I can't show those to you quite yet, but I do have a card to share from Friday night.  In conjunction with Ellen's Spring Fling festivities, Susan Roberts issued a sketch challenge to the CLASSroom bloggers and anyone else who might like to play along. I thought it was a color challenge as well and used the colors in which she had drawn the sketch. I was a bit out of my element with these, but that's what makes it a challenge! (If you decide to play along, feel free to choose your own colors.)

I used another of Karen Lockhart's new stamps, the Patio Pot Petunia. If there ever was a ubiquitous summer flower, it has to be the common little petunia. My grandmother always had petunias. I don't plant them here; I'd rather plant a perennial and hope that it survives the winter! Anyway, I loved how Karen captured the petunia in her image. I colored it with Copic markers, all of which are listed with a step-by-step design and coloring tutorial on this post, if you would like to see more. Finally, I used a Spellbinders Plain Rectangle and Plain Circle Nestability to cut and emboss the image and the tag. The sentiment on the tag is from the Kim Hughes Landing Pad set. Again, if you'd like more details, they are all here. The Spring Fling Sale and festivities last through Sunday night at 11:59pm, PST, with the promo code MOMLOVE earning a 15% discount on all in-stock items.

Finally, I have a new Frequently Asked Questions page. I had a page for FAQ Copic Marker questions and a page for Crafty Blogs already, but this new page will be for the more general questions that I answer often.  There's only one question and answer there right now--one about lighting for photography. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer. (Okay, I had one semester of photography in college, but we mostly developed our own black and white photos--way back when!) Anyway, I hope that this section will be helpful, and I'll try to add new topics as I find myself answering questions repeatedly.

Thank you for visiting!